Earlier tonight I spent a couple of hours doing nothing but watching replays of all the great G1 races Snow Fairy's been involved in over the years and you very quickly remember what a great racemare she was against both sexes. But I have to say, for my money, I still think her win at Sha Tin in the 2010 G1 Hong Kong Cup is still the finest hour of her career on a racetrack. Turning for home she had only 1 horse behind her, the filly Reggane. Ryan Moore had to take her very wide out into about the 7 or 8 path to get any running room, but boy when Ryan Moore ask Snow Fairy for run that day she exploded. In the final 200 meters that day at Sha Tin she came from almost last and still cut down Irian, Packing Winner, Vision D'Etat, Planteur, Super Satin, Cirrus Des Aigles, & Stacelita. All terrific horses in their own right with a real turn of foot themselves over 2000 meters.

Among fillies & mares they came no gamer than Snow Fairy over the past 3 seasons. As much as we all hate seeing her retired it really makes sense for her because she's been battling this reoccuring problem with her tendon for a long time now. I wish her all the best as a broodmare. A real class act!!

ILuvTurfRacing · There's a good video that AtTheRace.com posted on YouTube yesterday of interview with Snow Fairy's trainer Ed Dunlop talking about her retirment. Ed Dunlop said that on official ratings Snow Fairy rates higher than Ouija Board, and Dunlop would know because he trained both fillies. Snow Fairy's the only internationally campained horse that I can remember in recent history that's gone to Japan and won at G1 level twice, plus her trip to Hong Kong where she also won the G1 Hong Kong Cup. Lest we forget, she got DQ'd from her win in last year's G1 Prix Jean-Romanet against a very deep field or she'd be a 7-time G1 winner. Plus, the tough 2nd place finishes she had twice to Midday in the G1 Nassau Stakes & G1 Yorkshire Oaks, and the narrow defeat to So You Think in the G1 Irish Champion Stakes. Snow Fairy could've just as easily gone out a 10 or 11-time G1 winner. · 1241 days ago

Six time Group 1 winner has been retired after suffering a tendon injury during a morning work. She will be sent back to Ireland and could visit Elusive Pimpernel during her first year in the breeding shed.

Thought she would return in the pretty polly this weekend but shes been took out, Can she race in the "PRIX JEAN ROMANET" this year after being DSQ last year are there any rules upon horses competing in past races they have been DSQ from? I guess it would be a return in the irish champion stakes if not there? Can't think of anywhere else.

Trainer Ed Dunlop reported on his web-page today that Snow Fairy has suffered a minor setback and will be on the "easy does it" list for a couple of weeks, unfortunately causing her to miss the upcoming royal meeting at Ascot and her intended return to the track in the G1 Prince of Wales's Stakes. Now that Snow Fairy is a 6yo, one wonders how many more "minor setbacks" her connections will allow before they just finally decided that going ahead and retiring her to broodmare status might be in her best interest?

This comes from AtTheRaces.com: Hopes continue to rise that Snow Fairy could make her reappearance in June in the G1 Prince of Wales's Stakes at Royal-Ascot. Her season was cut short for a second time due to a tendon injury after winning the G1 Irish Champion Stakes last September, causing her to miss the Arc & Breeders Cup. Snow Fairy's owner, Cristina Patino, confirmed the 6yo mare will stay in training for the 2013 season. Trainer Ed Dunlop said "she did her first piece of fast work on Friday and if she's ready we'd really love to take her to Ascot." This mare is as game as they come and when she's on top of her game can beat the best of them, male or female. I sure hope she makes it to the Prince of Wales's Stakes next month!!

northport · She is still active, but was heat was detected in a foreleg shortly before the 2012 Arc, so I believe she is still laid off from that. She has had soundness issues before so I think the connections were taking a safe and cautious approach · 1395 days ago

Armada · Unfortunate that it happened. But I, too applaud them for it, intentional of the connections or not. · 1470 days ago

goblin · Clearance times for meds vary among individuals/horses. The vets should advise the trainers of the known range of clearance/withdrawal times, and even then, err on the side of caution by waiting another 24-48 hours. It's a shame for Snow Fairy, but it is a fair ruling. · 1470 days ago

This story is from the front page of AtTheRaces.Com on 11-29-2012: Ed Dunlop's star mare, Snow Fairy, has been officially disqualified and stripped of her victory in the G1 Prix Jean-Romanet at Deauville back on 8-19-2012 for testing positive for a banned substance in a post-race drug screen. Ed Dunlop said, "Due to the severe tendon injury that Snow Fairy suffered last season she's had to use anti-inflammatory medication to help with the injury." Dunlop went on to say, "Unfortunately, the withdrawal period was longer than we had been advised." End quote.

Will miss the Arc or E P Taylor Stakes and the 2012 Breeders Cup after returning from her last piece of serious work in preparation for either Longchamp or Woodbine with heat in one of her forelegs. Such a tough, tough break and really unfortunate for this super mare after having just recently returned to the track from being off some 280+days from a previous leg injury. Second time in a relative short span her season has been cut short due to a leg injury of some sort. One has to wonder now if perhaps her win in the G1 Irish Champion Stakes earlier in the month might be the last time Snow Fairy is seen on the racetrack?

A few days ago trainer Ed Dunlop as much as said if the ground at Longchamp comes up soft as they're predicting it will that Snow Fairy will not go to France for the Arc this year. Right now on the front page of AtTheRaces.com there's a story that says Dunlop is trying to downplay the speculation that Snow Fairy may be rerouted to the G1 E P Taylor Stakes the following week. It looks highly possibly now that Woodbine may be calling for Snow Fairy instead of Longchamp this time around.

northport · that sounds more exciting than this year's line up for the classic! · 1571 days ago

ILuvTurfRacing · That would make for a awesome BC F&M Turf. Though she didn't run that well today in the G1 Matron Stakes, I've heard that Aidan O'Brien might be sending over Maybe for the F&M Turf, and John Gosden also has other multiple stakes winning filly, Izzi Top, with an automatic "win and your in" slot for the F&M Turf from where she won the G1 Pretty Polly Stakes in Ireland a couple of months ago. The F&M Turf could end up being the most loaded field of any race on the card for both days this year, IMO. · 1553 days ago

I've been saying all week long to anyone who would listen that Snow Fairy's turn of foot at the 10f trip was going to be too fast for Nathaniel and St Nicholas Abbey, who by and large are both at their best over 12f. Snow Fairy wins the G1 Irish Champion Stakes!! Nathaniel finishes 2nd and St Nicholas Abbey finished 3rd.

yukichan · It was a great ride by Dettori too. I must say Ed Dunlop has done a phenomenal rehabilitation and training job as Dan outlined in his blog. Wins in Ireland, England, France, Hong Kong and Japan. I hope Dunlop gives her a crack to the add the US to her resume! · 1553 days ago

ILuvTurfRacing · @yukichan, Snow Fairy's one of very few race-mares that I can think of that's a multiple G1 winner at 10f, 11f, and 12f that didn't win all of her G1 races solely against other fillies and mares. Midday was a multiple G1 winner at 10f and 12f, and had one G1 win at 11f(09' BC F&M Turf). But all of Midday's G1 wins came racing only other fillies and mares. Snow Fairy's beaten males at 10f in Hong Kong and now in Ireland, too. · 1553 days ago